Early morning by little Rengaskari Reef, less than a mile from our shore. This is an excerpt from an over night recording. Had to do a low cut as there's been some low rumble from an unknown source that has affected all nightly recordings of this spring from the sea side. (and is still audible)
Birds: Common Eider, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Mew Gull

Updating www.rupuranta.net

(MKH8020 ab80cm, MixPre II 32>24, Flac)

Morning by Rengaskari Reef - 20/4/2021 - Makholma Finland

From little Rayhat Reef (4 miles from our shore) before sunrise at 03.40 am. with Herring Gulls awakening. The microphones were placed in a Buckthorn where a flock of young Starlings kept night. (4.00>) (The low rumble is from a very distant ship. From 15 hours of recording, the noise is here as lowest)

Updating www.rupuranta.net

(MKH8020 ab80cm, MixPre3 32float>24/48, no processing, Flac)

Sunrise with Herring Gulls - 15/7/2021 - Rayhat Reef

A small flock of sixty Migrating Whooper Swans in the middle of night resting on Makholma Bay, Western Finland.  The tempo of the yoking will increase to the end. The nearby shore with forest is giving a nice echo. 

Video from the Bay:  http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/211114a/

(MKH8020 ab80cm, SD702, 24/48, Flac)

Whooper Swans  - 14/11/2021 - Makholma Bay

Microphones between two ice blocks on the frozen shallow shore with a small swell under the ice.

www.rupuranta.net

(Sennheiser KE4 capsules moded by Verdeaudio, Sony D100, 24/48, no processing, Flac)

Tight Ice - 25/12/2021 - Loukkeennokka Shore

Spring arrives in our neighborhood 25/2/2022.

www.rupuranta.net

(MKH8020 ab80cm, 24/48, no processing, no mix, flac)

Deus ex machina - 25/2/2022 - Makholma Woods

A little flock of Whooper Swans, arrived a few days ago, one hour after sunset at Rengaskari Reef one mile from our home shore.  The sea is frozen a long way out, but by the shallow waters of the reef there's a small piece of free water.  The picture is by sunset as I leaved the mics on the reef.

Updating www.rupuranta.net  - Better description maybe later ;-

(MKH8020 ab80cm,  MixPre, 32>24/48, no processing, Flac)

A frozen Reef  - 15/3/2022 - Rengaskari Finland

A second recording from Rengaskari Reef, snowy and frozen in the middle of the icy sea.  To my big surprise, there was a Blackbird singing in early morning, one hour before sunrise.

Updating www.rupuranta.net 

(MKH8020 ab80cm, MixPre 32>24/48, -6dB, Flac)

A frozen Reef - 16/3/2022 -  Rengaskari Finland / The Blackbird

Enäjärvi is a small lake near town Pori only one mile from the Sea. The lake is tightly between a highway and a railway and the traffic noise is apparent even night time. This was the first place for an inland colony of Great Cormorants in Finland. Today there’s hundred of nests in two small islets in the middle of the lake. 

 I made an over night recording and this starts from 04.40 in the morning, half an hour before sun rise with the Cormorants just being active, though not as most. Though the lake was still mostly frozen the Cormorants have been more than two weeks there. This is the most silent moment of the night of traffic, still there’s a train passing.

The train is carrying coal (or anthracite) from Novosibirsk in Russia, a distance of 4000 km.  Each train is making two weeks or longer time on the rails to Tahkoluoto Port on the Finnish West Coast.  From there the coal is shipped rounding Cape Hope to Bangladesh. Normally there's  2-3 trains passing daily in spite of the sanction policy against Russia. 

Listen with headphones.

 http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/220421/

(AT4022 ab60cm MixPre2 32>24/48 no processing Flac)

Cormorant Night - 21/4/2022 - Enajarvi Finland

On last ices by Makholma shore with a swell from nearby open water. Four White-tailed Eagles, two Ravens and a few Crows are feasting waste fish left on the ice by a local fisherman 26/2/2023.

MKH8020 + SD702  AB 80cm, 24/48, no processing, +3dB in post.

Icy Swell - 26/2/2023 - with White-tailed Eagle and Raven

A recording under a big Fir in our backyard on a windy day with gale force wind. During the strongest gusts, the fir keeps a higher whining (or hissing) sound that is not commonly heared unless strong wind enough.

MKH8020 ab80 cm, SD702, 24 bit wav, nothing (except fade in and out) done in edit.

Listen with headphones, thanks!

A big Fir whining - 7/10/2023 - Makholma Finland

Kauhajoen Hukanluoma saa alkunsa Lauhanvuoren pohoispuolella olevalta Lumikankaan vedenjakaja-alueelta ja virtaa jo vuolaana luomana Isojoen Uuron kylän paikkeilla 23/10/2023.

(MKH 80, SD 702, 24 bit waw, A+B stereo)

A stream in Finnish forest - 23/10/2023 - Hukanluoma Finland

Pieni metsäpuro putouksineen solisee Kullaan Kakkurin metsätien varrella marraskuun hiljaisuudessa 9/11/2023.

A small stream in the Finnish forest in the mid of winter silence 9/11/2023 in Kullaa, Kakkurin tie, Finland.

(AT4022 A+B, MixPre6, orig. 32bit float, here as 24/waw)

A tiny stream in the forest - 9/11/2023- Kakkuri Finland

The Finns are really introvert people. They hate small talk and goes 
early asleep. But one's a year, on the Midsummer night, they burn a bonfire, even nondrinker drinks and they stay up all the night singing and growling.  The birds quiet down in early June, but something in this special night seems to waken even them.

This is a recording high up from a tree, seen in the picture, in a very rural landscape from our yard, done between 03.00 to 04.20.

(MKH8020 pair + SD702 hinged up to a pine 12m, 24/48, as Flac here)

The Magical - 25/6/2016 - Midsummer Night

Microphones recording sound from inside new ice crumbling and breaking in a small swell. Loukkeennokka, by the West Coast of Finland.

Updating www.baltic.fi

(Sennheiser KE4 omnipair, Sony D100, 24/48, upload as flac)

Inside crumbling new Ice - 13/11/2016 - Loukkeennokka

Though little Rengaskari Reef by Makholma Bay, Western Finland, is still surrounded with rather tough ice (was with bicycle there) the first Gulls along with migrating Crows are there. The Crows, one Raven (22.15-23.15 + a jet) and two White Tailed Eagle (4.00-5.45, 8.50 and 30.30)were having dinner with some fish a fisherman had leaved outside on the ice.

As it was a windy day with an 10 m/s from South, the recording was done from the shelter of a lonely Juniper. The wind and gusts are apparent coming through the needles. And as usual, headphones recommended!

(MKH8020 spaced, SD702, no eq, upload as 24bit flac)

A frozen Reef awakening - 13/3/2017 - Rengaskari Reef

Foggy and dead calm, nevertheless there's always some swell; the sea never dies;-  Somewhere in the fog are huge flocks of migrating Eider and Long-tailed Duck.

Updating www.baltic.fi

(MKH8020 ab40cm SD702 no eq +3dB upload 24bit flac)

Dead Calm  - 2/4/2017 - Rayhat Reef

While recording wind in the pines by the shore, two fighter jets made a flight really low two times. The planes were fighter jets model Hawk Mk66 from the Finnish air-forces. 

Updating www.baltic.fi

(MKH8020 ab40cm, SD702  no eq, upload 24 bit flac)

Fighter Jets - 1/9/2017 - on Baltic Shore (with Wind in Pine trees)

A rain day inside old port crane "Luveeni" in Mantyluoto Port in town  Pori on the West Coast of Finland.

Headphones required, as usual.

www.baltic.fi

(MKH8020 ab50cm, SD702, 24/48, flac)

Jan Eerala Finland

After Rain comes the Wind - 18/8/2019 - Port of Pori

Two hours from inside a lonely barn out on Preiviiki Fields during a stormy night. Just pick your headphones and relax!

A little about the title:  Its status as a catchphrase for bad writing comes from the opening sentence of English novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1830 novel Paul Clifford [3] 

"It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness."

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/190913/

(MKH8020 ab60cm, MixPre3, no processing, 24/48, flac)

A Dark and Stormy Night - 13/9/2019 - Preiviiki Fields

A huge electric power transmission grid is running from southern to North Finland and is here called for the "atom ring", as it connects all (four)nuclear power plants in one loop. One part of it is a 400 kV grid coming from Olkiluoto nuclear plant crossing Leistila Fields, where I use to make recordings in barns
on windy days.
 
This time I recorded the enormous aural divercity of that grid, in a strong southerly wind in the shelter of a barn (see picture) As usual, listen with headphones only.

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/200103/

(MKH8020 ab60cm, SD702, no processing, 24/48, flac)

atomirengas / atomic ring / nuclear energy

The Atom Ring - 3/1/2020 - Leistila Fields

Winter wind inside the grey barn in Leistila Fields, Western Finland. (Seems that I have to do a recording in this same barn every midwinter on a windy day, but it will still be different every time)

Listen with headphones only, thanks!

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/200205/

(MKH8020 ab60cm, SD702, nothing done in edit, 24/48, flac)

Winter Fields - 21/1/2020 - Leistila Fields

I continue with the wind theme, as this has been a 'never before seen' winter with strong winds blowing nearly constant from day to day. Here the wind is blowing in the constructions of Reposaari village fishing harbor. A Crow is calling in the beginning, then the constructions only. The gulls were more or less silent, as common this time of spring.

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/200209/

(MKH8020 ab50cm, SD702, 24/48, flac)

Wind Harbor - 9/2/2020 - Reposaari Finland

An excerpt of a not so common call of Black Woodpecker (as I was actually recording White tailed Eagle) from Kuuminainen woods. As the area where the eagles lives is not so big, some background noise is inevitable. 


Updating www.rupuranta.net

(AT4022 ab60cm, MixPre3, 24/48, flac)

Black Woodpecker - 25/2/2020 - Kuuminainen Woods

The last days of February were colder and a solid ice of about three inches formed partially one mile out to sea. The Whooper Swans had arrived past week but what I think could be Bean Goose appeared for the first time. At 9 min a fox is crying. 

The sea water was rising due to an arriving low front. This and because the ice was new and solid, causes the crackling sounds. I was lucky to experience this, as it is absolutely not a common phenomenon, at least not here by the sea shore.  The picture with a big Venus and new moon was taken during the recording.

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/200228/

(AT4022 ab50cm, MixPre3, 24/48, flac)

Night by new Ice - 28/2/2020 - Makholma Shore

Inside a barn in a Blizzard with snowfall and hails. Leistila Fields, Western Finland. Listen with headphones only.

Updating www.rupuranta.net

(MKH8020 ab60cm, MixPre3, 32>24/48, nothing else done in edit, flac)

A Barn in a Blizzard - 13/4/2020 - Leistila Fields

Migrating Cranes are gathering on strategic places along the coast two-three weeks before leaving the country. This is from an overnight recording inside a barn in Preiviiki Fields not long away from here.

The wind was a strong North Westerly with small showers and very gusty. Five days later the Crane was gone. Listen with headphones, thanks!

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/200910/

(MKH8020 ab60cm, MixPre 32>24/48, no processing, flac)

Wind Barn & Cranes - 10/9/2020 - Preiviiki Fields

A short row from the shoreline through ices to free water near Trolloori reef in Makholma on a silent and windless day 25/12/2020.  (Shortened and the passage through ices lowered with 3 dB.)

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/201226/

(MKH8020 ab80cm in the stern, SD702, 24/48, flac)

A quiet row - 26/12/2020 - Trolloori Reef

This winter first ices come one week after years shift, which is nearly two months later than in gone days. After walking one mile along the shoreline of Loukkeennokka Reef, I found some lousy ice flakes quirking with one Whooper Swan calling in the background.

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/210109/

(Sennheiser KE4 capsules, MixPre 32/48, +3 dB in post, 24/48 flac)

First Ices - 9/1/2021 -  Loukkeennokka Shore

A small swell pressing water and air between the ground ice and a bigger floe. Free water still, though the weather become colder. Recorded on a beautiful day with no wind and still open sea by Loukkeennokka shore in 

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/210128/

(Sennheiser KE4 ab50cm, MixPre 32>24, no processing, 24/48 flac)

Snoring Sea Ice - 28/1/2021 - Loukkeennokka Shore

This is a compilation from an over night recording in Kirpakka woods with 15 small cracks in chronological order and as last a bigger bang from one long recording earlier in february.

I had the microphones out in Kirpakka small preservation area over night (from sunset to midday) during the coldest days when temp went down to -20C.  There was practically no sign of life except some road noise and machines from a nearby farm.  Daytime there were a few Crows and two Ravens, one Great Spotted Woodpecker and in early night the distant call of a Tengman's Owl.  

One recording of 18 hours earlier didn't result in any sound of life except a very weak Crow at 11 am. and the big crack in the end of this recording.

There seems to be a great loss of tits and crossbills in Finnish forests today.

But the trees were keeping a good amount of cracks and pops, specially in the early night when the temperature change was as fastest. 

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/210215/

(MKH8020ab80cm, MixPre 32>24/48, no processing, +3dB, flac)

Snaps and cracks - 15/2/2021 - Freezing Kirpakka Forest

Ploughing aural fields in remote North.

Field recordist, bird watcher and a digitized former darkroom rat living in little Makholma village on the West Coast of Finland by the Baltic Sea - 61N 21E

These recordings are done in AB stereo with omnidirectional microphones. With this technique everything in the field will be equally meaningful, even the silence behind the microphones. That's why you should use headphones!

My recordings are merely like a process than individual tracks, and should be considered in the context of my blog-alike site:  www.baltic.fi

For better quality, the tracks are downloadable as 24 bit flac. For commercial use, please take contact.

You will find my videowork here: https://vimeo.com/holotna/videos 

And pics from the places of recordings: https://holotna.pic.fi/kuvat/


Tekijä on Makholman kalarannan liepeillä majaansa pitävä digitalisoitunut pimiörotta. Intohimona linnut, meri ja vanhat puupurret.

Jan Eerala

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